Israelis attack Palestinian in East Jerusalem

JERUSALEM (Ma'an) -- Israeli settlers late Monday assaulted a young Palestinian man near the illegal Israeli settlement of French Hill, the man told Ma'an.

Mahmoud Ubeid, 19, told Ma'an he was walking home from work when a car pulled over and one of the five Israelis in the car asked him for a lighter.

"When I said I didn't have a lighter, the settler stepped out of the car and pushed me before the other four stepped out and attacked me," Ubeid said.

The attackers were carrying knives and rods, Ubeid said, adding that he managed to run away before he was seriously hurt.

Ubeid was taken to al-Maqasid hospital for treatment after sustaining injuries to the leg.

An Israeli police spokesman did not answer calls seeking comment.

Earlier Monday evening, Israeli media reported Monday that a 45-year-old Jewish man had arrived at a police station in Jerusalem's Old City with stab wounds to his abdomen, saying he had been attacked by "Arabs."

The incidents come amid heavy tensions in Jerusalem, with tit-for-tat attacks increasing between Palestinians and Israelis following an attack on a synagogue last Tuesday that left five Israelis dead and several injured.

Near-daily attacks by Israeli settlers on Palestinians and their property in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, have also been reported in the days following the synagogue attack.

Some 200,000 settlers live in East Jerusalem neighborhoods, as well as some 306,000 Palestinians, according to Jerusalem's municipality.